Piano playing device



Feb. 4, 1958 T. AHOLA 2,321,880

PIANO PLAYING DEVICE Filed Oct. 26, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

AI O' AHOLA MJKW AGENT Feb. 4, 1958 T. AHOLA 2,821,880

PIANO PLAYING DEVICE Filed Oct. 26, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /& k

FIG. 5

INVENTOR.

AITQ AHOLA AGENT United States Patent PIANO PLAYING DEVICE Taito Ahola,Ely, Minn. Application October 26, 1953, Serial No. 388,274

3 Claims. (Cl. 8421) This, invention relates to a device for playing apiano or the like, with a roll and mechanism associated with said rollfor operating the sound producing mechanism of the piano, or similarinstrument.

' One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a devicewhich is electrically operated.

Another object is to provide such a device which in cludes a roll havingsuitable indicia thereon to co-act with suitable mechanism associatedwith the roll for controlling the individual notes of a mechanicalinstrument, such as the piano, as the roll is wound from one reel toanother.

.Another object is to provide such a device which is portable, and whichmay be associated with a piano or the like, at will, to play music fromrolls, and removed when desired to render the piano to its originalstate for manual operation. Another object is to provide such a n devicewhich may be associated with any piano or the like, without being custommade for individual pianos whereby the device may be used on any numberof brands and sizes of pianos or the like.

Amore specific object is to provide a length of sheet material Wound ona reel and comprising a roll, said sheet material having applied thereonsuitable electric conducting material to be engaged by a pie-determinedarrangement of brushes and resistors whereby the length, or dura tion,of a musical note as well as the loudness, or volume, of the individualnotes is controlled in a suitable arrangement whereby musical renditionsmay be rendered on the piano as the roll is wound from one reel toanother.

Another object is to provide a suitable solenoid arrangement inconjunction with the above mentioned resistors whereby an operatinglever is actuated and controlled by the contact of suitable brushes onspecially treated portions of the roll as the roll is moving from onereel to another.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device for playing apiano mechanically wherein the volume and length, or duration, of anykey, or note, on the keyboard of a piano, may be individually andindependently controlled, whereby the device will be capable ofduplicating any efiect capable of being produced by an accomplishedmusician playing a piano, making full use of the pedals and keys. Inaddition, it is an object of my invention to make it possible to writeand play music which would be impossible to play by any human beingbecause of the individual control of each key, or note, of the piano,making, in eifect, a pianist using 88 fingers each with perfect touch,time, and rhythm.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will become moreapparent as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application forpatent;

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a piano, and showing my player unitin operating position, parts being broken away to more clearlyillustrate same.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatical view showing the electric 2,8213% PatentedFeb. 4, 1958 mechanism for operating one of the keys of a piano, andvarious note values on the roller strip.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the player device shown in Fig. 1 with the wallthereof removed.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of Fig. 3.

In the drawing the reference numeral 1 indicates a piano of any commonmake or description having white keys 2 and black keys 3 which form akeyboard for the piano, all of which is conventional.

My invention comprises a suitable housing or cabinet having casters 5-5thereon to permit the movement of the cabinet easily around a room, andpermitting the cabinet to be moved into place adjacent the keyboard 2-3of a piano 1, as shown in Fig. l. The cabinet or housing 4 has aplurality of levers 67 pivotally mounted thereon to extend from thecabinet over the keyboard 23. There is one lever 6 for each of the whiteand a lever 7 for each of the black keys of the piano, and the levers6-7 are so arranged that they will extend within the cabinet 4. I haveprovided a suitable axle, or shaft 9, on which a roller, or spool 19,may be mounted in any desired man ner, the roller, or spool, havingwound thereon an elongated strip 11 or any suitable material, such aspaper, to comprise a player roll for the device.

A similar roll or spool 12 is mounted in spaced relation to the spool 10on an axle 13. The spool 12 comprises the winding spool for the player,and a pulley 14 is mounted on the shaft 13 and is driven by a belt 15from the pulley shaft 16 on the motor I? whereby the sheet roll 11 willbe wound from the spool iii onto the spool 12 when the motor 17 is inoperation. This general structure and operation is well known in theplayer-piano art, and it is deemed that no excessive detail is requiredto adequately disclose this arrangement.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the operating components ofmy invention for playing a single note of the piano. Because all of thenotes would be similarly controlled and operated, the description of thestructure for operating a single note will be described, and will coverthe operation of each of the notes.

In Fig. 2, I have shown a pair of conductors '25" and 21 which lead to asuitable source of electric power, not shown. The conductor 20 has abrush 22 which engages the material of the roll or strip 11 along oneedge of the longitudinal portion of the strip which has been set asidefor a given note, or key, of the piano. The brush 22 comprises asuitable electrical conductor member which will make a suitableelectrical contact to com plete a circuit when it engages certainportions of the roll 11 to be described. The conductor 21 is connectedto one end of a solenoid coil 23, the solenoid 23 having a movable core24 therein which is mounted adjacent the lever 6 for playing a specificone of the piano keys 2. It is deemed apparent that the reciprocation ofthe solenoid core 24 will cause the lever 6 to be actuated, there beinga suitable connection 25 between the one end of the lever 6' and thecore 24. The opposite end of the coil 23 is connected to a conductor 26to which a plurality of resistors 2727 are connected in parallel asshown. Each of the resistors has a brush, or electrical conductor member2828 connected to its opposite end, and the brushes 28 are arranged inalined relationship across the longitudinal section of the roll 11 setaside for the given note of the piano, the brushes being spaced apart apredetermined distance to provide the desired result. Each of thebrushes engages the sheet 11 in spaced relation to the other brushes,and are preferably equi-distant apart as shown in Fig. 2.

The sheet 11 has longitudinal segments set aside for each of the notesof the piano, one of these segments A being shown in Fig. 2, and each ofthese segments is 3 set aside to control a single note of the piano. Theplaying of each of the piano keys is accomplished by means of anarrangement whereby the brushes 27 engage electricity conductingmaterial with which the brush 22 is also engaged during predeterminedintervals andperiods of travel of the roll. It should be noted that theroll travels in a continuous speed during the operation of the device.

As shown in the drawing, I have provided the sheet 11 on the segment Awith printed strips, or blocks 29, of various lengths and widths, thestrips being of electrical conductive material, and may be a suitablelink, or the like, capable of forming a part of an electrical circuit.The strips, or blocks 29, are so arranged that the brush 22 and thebrushes 28 will simultaneously engage them as the roll 11 travelswhereby the strips, or block 29, serves to complete the circuit betweenconductors 21 and as is deemed apparent from the drawing.

A strip 29 such as that indicated at B is elongated longitudinally andnarrow transversely of the segment A and comprises a long note in thatthe brush 22 and one brush 28 Would engage the strip B and remain inengagement therewith for a relatively long period during the travel ofthe strip 11. Likewise the strip B would comprise a relatively soft notein that a maximum resistance would be present in the circuit and wouldthereby aifect the current in the coil 23 and reduce the force of themovement of the core 24 which would pivot the lever 6 to engage thepiano key. The piano key would be held down for a relatively long periodof time because of the conducted electrical circuit completed by thisstrip B.

The strip 29 indicated at C would be a short soft note, as would thestrip indicated at D, the strip indicated at E would be of the samevolume value as notes B, C, however, it would be shorter in length, orduration, than in note B and longer than in notes C and D.

At F, I have indicated a strip 29 which is wide transversely of thesegment A and narrow longitudinally of the roll ill, whereby all of thebrushes 28 and the brush 22 would enga e strip F simultaneously, andbecause resistors in parallel tend to divide their values rather thanadd, a relatively loud and short note would be sounded as the brushes 28and 22 engage the strip F. The strip G would provide less volume thanthe strip F and would be of substantially the same duration.

It is deemed apparent from the above explanation and from the drawing,that any desired volume and duration of note can be provided by suitablymarking the segments A of the roll 11 at predetermned intervals alongits length. It is also deemed apparent that the individual control ofthe operation of the various keys of the piano can be arranged in such away that perfect volume duration and rhythm can be provided for thevarious notes relative to each other to render any musical compositiondesired by merely moving the cabinet 4 adjacent the piano as shown inFig. 1 place the desired roll 11 in the player device, and starting themotor to drive the roll, suitable electrical connections being made tothe source of power as by a suitable plug 33 to fit any householdelectrical outlet.

Any desired effect can be provided by the predetermined arrangement ofvarious note values on the segments of the roll 11.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

l. A device for playing a piano or similar instrument by engaging thekeying instrumentalities of said instru ment comprising: a housing;means within said housing to rotatably receive a spool, an elongatedindicia sheet wound on said spool; a second spool; means within saidhousing to rotatably receive said second spool and on which said indiciasheet may be wound from first said spool; means for winding said secondspool; a plurality of levers carried in said housing and adapted toextend over portions of said instrument to engage the keyinginstrumentalities of said instrument, indicia on said sheet capable ofproviding an electrical contact, and means actuated by indicia on saidsheet to move said levers to operate the keying instrumentalities ofsaid instrument; said last mentioned means comprising a plurality ofcoils each having a movable core; one of said coils being arrangedadjacent each of said levers whereby the movable core thereof may engageand operate its respective lever; and electrical means normally engagingsaid sheet and adapted to complete an electrical circuit to said coilswhen indicia on said sheet is contacted by said electrical means; saidelectrical means for each of said coils including a plurality ofresistors, an electrical condutor connecting said resistors in parallelat one end thereof; said conductor being connected to one end of itsrespective coil; a plurality of contacts, one of said contacts connectedwith each of said resistors on the opposite end thereof from saidconductor; said contacts being arranged in side by side relationshipadjacent said sheet, said indicia being varied as to length and widthand said contacts being adapted to engage indicia on said sheet invarying numbers depending on the size of said indicia to control thevolume and duration of each note; and a separate electrical contactengaging indicia on said sheet connected to a source of power andproviding a complete circuit for electricity to operate said coil andcore to move said levers.

2. In a device for playing a piano or similar instrument by engaging thekeying instrumentalities of said instrument including a housing havingmeans therewithin to wind an indicia sheet from one spool to another, aplurality of levers carried in said housing and adapted to extend overportions of said instrument to engage its keying instrumentalities andsolenoids actuated by indicia on said sheet to move said levers tooperate the keying instrumentalities of said instrument, indicia on saidsheet capable of providing an electrical contact, electrical means tocomplete an electrical circuit to said solenoids when ing connected witheach of said resistors on the opposite end thereof from said conductor;said indicia being of varied length and width and said contacts beingengageable with said indicia on said sheet in varying numbers and forvarying periods of time depending on the size of said indicia therebycausing the volume and duration of each note to be controlled; and aseparate electrical contact engaging indicia on said sheet connected toa source of power and providing a complete circuit for electricity tooperate said solenoids to move said levers.

3. In a device for playing a piano or similar instrument by engaging thekeying instrumentalities of said in strument said device including ahousing, means Within said housing to wind an elongated sheet from onespool to another, indicia on said sheet capable of permitting anelectrical contact to be made, a plurality of solenoid actuated leverscarried by said housing and adapted to extend over portions of saidinstrument to engage the keying instrumentalities thereof; electricalmeans for each of said solenoids including a plurality of resistors, anelectrical conductor connecting said resistors in parallel at one endthereof, said conductor being connected to one end of its respectivesolenoid, a plurality of contacts, one connected with each of saidresistors on the opposite end thereof from said conductor, said indiciabeing varied as to shape and size and said contacts being arranged inside by side relationship to engage indicia on said sheet in varyingnumbers and for varying periods of time depending on the character ofsaid indicia to control the volume and duraindicia on said sheet, saidseparate contact and the oppo- References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 430,066 Case et a1 June 10, 1890 507,703Zimmerman Oct. 31, 1893 1,058,902 Reed Apr. 15, 1913 6 Coleman Aug. 18,1914 Turney Aug. 18, 1914 Brown Dec. 29, 1914 Reed Sept. 7, 1915 AreseMar. 13, 1917 Biggs June 3, 1924 Jones Mar. 17, 1925 FOREIGN PATENTSGermany May 27, 1914

